Reluctant Heroes
by TinkerLJ
Summary: Cobra wins a battle, leaving the Joes discouraged. They find new hope and encouragement from an unexpected source. F/LJ, D/S, SE - main characters. (Reworked first two chapters...completed with the last two.)
1. Chapter 1

_I watched and played GI Joe as a child. Now as I write, I see that it not only enriched my imagination as a child, but impacted me so much that as an adult they live in my imagination today. This story is something I have been working on for a while. It developed out of real memories of my brothers and I playing GI Joe when we were kids. Perhaps you can relate…_

 _I'd love to hear some of your stories._

 _Thank you Larry Hama and Sunbow writers for such vivid and happy childhood memories!_

 _Notes: Flint quotes Wade Davis, an MLB player, in this chapter._

 _I went back and made changes to the dialogue and word choice in some areas to improve the flow and continuity._

* * *

 _All hero quotes are taken from the online Hero Quote-Brainy Quote website._

 _ **The youth, intoxicated with his admiration of a hero, fails to see, that it is only a projection of his own soul, which he admires.**_

 _Ralph Waldo Emerson_

 _ **If I were the blushing kind, I would blush to be called a hero.**_

 _\- Aung San Suu Kyi_

* * *

"All Joes, pull back! To the transports! Retreat! I repeat, retreat!"

"Retreat!," the command echoed through the ranks.

"Retreat!," followed by the hollow pounding of boots on dry earth, clouds of dust following at their heels.

"Retreat!"

They were the words no Joe ever wanted to hear.

The heatwaves from the hot July sun rose and drifted in the distance, blurring the view. The air smelled of stale barbecue grills, hot brittle grasses and the acrid sulphur of explosives and gun powder, like the smoky aftermath of Independence Day celebrations.

Lady Jaye stumbled forward, her steps on the pavement heavy with fatigue. Her right arm rested in a fresh sling, a stark contrast to her face and body streaked with the dirt and dust of battle. Scarlet, her own smaller injuries also freshly bandaged, walked beside her, an arm wrapped tightly around Lady Jaye's waist. They leaned heavily on one another in support.

In the chaos left behind them, Doc and Lifeline ran a makeshift infirmary, barking orders to the Green Shirt medics, nearly overwhelmed as they treated the numerous injured and wounded Joes. The dead would have to wait.

The Joe women continued their slow uphill climb toward the point of rendezvous. Once there, they met up with the rest of the Command Team. Flint, Duke and Snake Eyes were also the worse for wear, their uniforms torn and dirty, their battered bodies marked with minor cuts and abrasions. Considering what they had just gone through, it was truly a miracle that none of them had been severely injured.

As the two women came into view, Flint's eyes were instantly drawn to Lady Jaye. His gaze quickly took in her torn and dusty BDU's, mussed hair, dirt smudged cheeks and then stopped to linger on her bandaged arm. She had been injured. He growled softly, taking hurried steps toward her, worry and anger fighting for dominance in his eyes.

"You were hurt," he took a slow breath, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart as he pulled her close. Despite accepting the dangers that went along with their job, it always angered and frightened him when she was injured, no matter how small. She understood this and relaxed willingly in his embrace, burying her head in his broad chest. It had frightened her, too. Right now, she needed to feel his arms around her. To have him hold her. To feel safe and protected.

"You Ok?" he whispered, inhaling the lingering familiar scent of her shampoo mixed with the less pleasant smells of sweat, pain and fear. They both knew he wasn't asking about her injury.

"Yes," came the whisper.

"You sure?" he insisted, already knowing she was not.

Lady Jaye had never been able to keep up pretences with Flint nor was she able to now. With him only, she had found her heart open and vulnerable in way that it was with no one else. From past experience she knew it was impossible to hide anything from him. Tears, of their own accord, began running down her cheeks. She stopped fighting and let them fall.

"No," she admitted softly, "Not really," and with the flood came release.

He swallowed back the growing lump in his own throat, wishing he could take her pain as his finger traced the warm tears streaming down her cheeks. Instead, he heaved a heavy sigh. Wrapping his arms even more tightly around her, he held her firmly against his chest, so close they could feel the beating of one another's heart. Her anguished cries were muffled in his strong embrace.

Scarlet, only a few steps behind Jaye, was quickly losing the battle with her own emotions. Silent tears slid down her face, one after another. Duke gently but firmly pulled her, trembling, into his strong arms. He held on to her as she clung to him, sobbing.

The three men looked from one to the other helplessly, their raised eyebrows the only indication of their surprise. It was completely unheard of for Scarlet, Lady Jaye or for that matter, even Cover Girl, to break down and lose control like this in front of them. The Joe women were strong, stronger than most men. When they did give in to their tears, it was always in private, never where they could be seen by others.

But this battle had been bad.

The Joes had marched onto the battlefield fearlessly, brave soldiers with their heads held high, but Cobra had set a trap. Rows upon rows of fully armed Cobra soldiers were in waiting. The Joes never stood a chance. Cobra mowed them down effortlessly, levelling the town around them in the process, destroying the homes and lives of countless innocent civilians.

The Joes hadn't been able to defend the town or the townspeople against Cobra. They hadn't been able to stop Cobra's rapid advance. They had failed. Battered and bruised and defeated, they had been forced to retreat.

It had been very, very bad, indeed.

Duke and Flint held on to the women, murmuring words of encouragement, waiting for the storm to pass. In this present moment, it was the only comfort they could offer.

* * *

The small rural town before them continued on as before, oblivious to the altercation between the Joes and Cobra that had occurred during the night just mere miles from their border, oblivious to the terrible beating the Joes had experienced. To them it was just another hot, lazy summer day.

"chi…ka, chi…ka, chi…ka, tcheeeeeeeeeeee," A sprinkler head rotated slowly until it reached the end of it's revolution, then it hurried back to the point of start.

"Flint!," a girl in flip flops and cut off shorts dove behind a strategically placed wooden board, barely avoiding getting hit by the water spray of the sprinkler. "Look out!," she screamed. Her small nose was covered in summer freckles.

"Coming 'Lady Jaye'," a smaller boy's face lit up with a happy smile. "Pow, Pow, Pow," he yelled as he pointed his wooden 'gun' toward the enemy. Ducking and running from invisible enemies, he slid feet first next to the girl.

She flashed him a cheeky grin and jumped to her feet. Pulling back her arm, she threw a stick like a javelin. It soared through the air, bouncing as it hit the ground. "Boom!" she yelled, "You're hamburger, Snakes!" she brushed her loose brown hair out of her face, tucking it smoothly behind her ear as she dropped down again.

"Good work, 'Lady Jaye'!" He gave her a high five. Then his eyes lit up as a new idea occurred to him. "Come on," he yelled, motioning to her to follow as he dropped to his hands and knees and began crawling low enough to avoid the stream of water spray. "This way!"

Crawling on hands and knees, she followed his lead.

Across the field, a second boy stood near the line of trees. He was wearing black shorts and a black t-shirt, hitting the side of a tree with a stick, then dodging and twisting away from an invisible opponent's sword. "Crack", he hit the side of the trunk again. "Yah!" he gave a yell that echoed back and forth between the nearby houses and trees. Then dropping his sword, he took a step backwards and began suddenly throwing punches and kicks at his imaginary foes. "Yah! Hi-Yah!" his loud voice rose even above the sounds of the sprinkler.

"Look, there's 'Snake Eyes'!" the girl elbowed the boy beside her and pointed. They rose from their knees and shared identical grins. Forgetting all about Cobra's 'machine gun,' they ran over to assist. Immediately all three began fighting and kicking imaginary foes.

"You're mine, Fang Breath!"

"Take that! Snake meat!"

"Joe's rule, Cobra's drool!"

The boy, 'Snake Eyes,' paused in his play for a moment to wipe the sweat running down his face. The sun was brilliant overhead. He squinted as he tried to look at his friends. "How come we always fight trees?" he sucked in his breath.

"Because no one wants to play Cobra," the girl answered wisely. "They always lose."

"Oh …," the boy nodded sagely. That made sense. Then, with a disappointed sigh, he turned his attention back to fighting trees.

* * *

"How in the world did Cobra get the jump on us?" Duke's face was livid, "We're Joes. This should never have happened. They set a trap for us and we just blindly walked into it."

Snake Eyes' clenched his fists tightly and gave a nod in agreement. His team had been one of the first out. He should've been able to warn the rest of the Joes, to stop them from walking into the trap, but even he hadn't been given time. His eyes blazed as a fierce anger warred within him. He couldn't say whether the anger was directed more towards Cobra or himself. Retreat had never settled well with him.

Duke shook his head slowly and continued in a hollow, defeated voice, "I don't think we've ever lost this badly."

Flint had been pacing back and forth during Duke's rant. His dark eyes rested for the moment on the still flushed and damp faces of Lady Jaye and Scarlet as they stood quietly to the side, arm in arm. He growled softly in anger, vowing to make Cobra pay for what they had done, the hurt they had caused.

His angry thoughts were interrupted by the prickling sensation of eyes on the back of his head. He turned suddenly and met Snake Eyes' cold stare. Almost imperceptibly, the black ninja gave a slight nod of his head.

Flint nodded in return, accepting the offer; they would pay Cobra back, together.

* * *

Two more neighbours came outside, having heard the noisy play of their friends.

"Yo Joe!," they yelled with a laugh, announcing their approach.

"Hi, 'Duke.' Hi, 'Scarlet'," the three heroes paused in their fighting and happily waved them over.

"Can we play, too?"

"Sure. We can all stomp some snake tails!," 'Snake Eyes' grinned wickedly and they all joined in, kicking and punching once again. The air was instantly filled with the five children's mingled screams and shouts and yells.

"Yo Joe!"

"Take that, Snake," 'Flint' kicked out.

"Hi, Yah!," a stick was swung through the air, making contact with a sharp crack against the tree. Slapping on a smile and blinking back tears, 'Snake Eyes' vigorously shook the sting out of his hand.

'Scarlet' did a cartwheel across the lawn and landed with a kick and a punch to the air.

"Cool, 'Scarlet'," 'Lady Jaye' watched her friend enviously, "That was _so_ awesome!"

'Scarlet' looked at her and grinned. "It's easy. I'll teach you some time," she promised.

The younger 'Lady Jaye's' eyes lit up, "Wow, Really? Thanks! You're the best!"

* * *

The children's voices carried up the hill to where the Joes's were debriefing in the spotted shade of an olive grove. Disjointed bits and pieces of the children's play reached their ears. At first the Joes dismissed it. Then, one by one their eyes widened as the children's words began to take on meaning. The battle they were just discussing seemed to lose importance as more and more of the children's conversation reached her ears. Soon, forgetting everything else, they all turned toward the children playing below.

"'Duke', watch out!" a girl's high voice shrilled.

Duke moved close to the edge until he was standing shoulder to shoulder with Flint. "Well, what do you know…" his eyes lit up as he followed the young 'Duke.'

"'Flint', over here!" another young girl's voice carried over.

Flint's lips slowly curved into a lopsided grin. He cast a glance toward Lady Jaye who was still standing close to Scarlet. She was not smiling.

"I can't believe it," Scarlet spoke in soft wonder.

"They're…us." Duke's grin widened.

"'Scarlet', check this out!" 'Duke' yelled in a high voice as he jumped from a tree and landed in a spinning kick.

"Ha," the girl laughed, tossing a blond pony tail over her shoulder, " _I_ could do _that_."

Scarlet turned to see Duke grinning at her. "She's certainly got you pegged," he chuckled.

Scarlet's cheeks flushed red. "Sure, Duke," she rolled her eyes. "And _he's_ an _exact_ copy of _you,_ " she countered with a smirk.

"Touché," he laughed, his eyes teasing.

Scarlet shook her head slowly and turned away. Eyes resting on the young girl once more, she allowed a small private smile to touch her lips.

We're… heroes. A smile formed under Snake Eye's rubber mask as he watched his young imitator. The young ninja had once again pulled out his sword stick and no longer content with trees, had begun attacking nearby bushes, sending innocent leaves scattering in all directions, still yelling at the top of his lungs. Snake Eyes crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against a tree proudly. The kid showed potential.

The five Joes continued to watch the children playing their respective selves.

"We're heroes," Duke spoke in awe.

"Heroes," Scarlet repeated, her eyes wide.

Flint turned again toward Lady Jaye. She lifted her eyes slowly to meet his.

"Why us?," she shook her head in disbelief, "I don't understand. How could we be heroes?," she asked heavily.

"What do you mean?," Flint asked quickly in surprise.

She took a step back, swinging her good arm in a wide arc toward the direction where they had fought the last battle. "Flint, those people in that town over there,…. their homes were destroyed, innocent people lost their lives. Green Shirts gave their lives, and for what? We still couldn't defend them. They depended on us and we failed them. We're _not_ heroes. We couldn't be," she finished adamantly.

Lady Jaye had been on the frontline, nearest the residential areas of the town. What she had witnessed there tore at her heart, searing itself into her memory. She had failed at stopping Cobra's advance. As she lay helpless on the ground, bleeding and bruised and defeated, with Green Shirts laying on the ground all around her, Cobra had turned their attack on innocent civilians. She could still hear their unanswered cries for help.

"Those people died because of Cobra, not because of what we did or didn't do," Flint said quietly.

"But _we_ were supposed to protect them," she replied stubbornly, now near tears.

"Yes, innocent people died but a lot of others did not…, exactly because of what we _did_ do," Duke rebuked her.

A single tear slid down her cheek. She brushed it away angrily.

"You know he's right, Jaye." Flint said gently. "Even though the Joes might have lost this round, without us, it would have been a lot worse. Remember, it was just one battle, not the war."

"Yes Jaye, and even heroes are allowed to have bad days once in a while," Scarlet chastised gently.

"And I know for certain, the Joes will be back," Duke spoke vehemently, "and next time…, we'll win. I, for one, am not about to give up."

Lady Jaye stood silently, looking from one to the other and then dropped her eyes, lightly touching her aching arm. _Some heroes we are, she thought bitterly. We're just ordinary soldiers. We don't have special powers or bullet proof uniforms. When we get hit by a bullet, we hurt, we bleed…we d…_

"Jaye," Flint spoke again, breaking into her thoughts, "Heroes aren't just special or super powered like in the comics or movies. Anyone can be a hero and most heroes are actually just ordinary people. What makes a hero, a hero, is that you are chosen." He stepped forward and cupped her chin, turning her face so that he was looking directly into her troubled eyes. "Those kids over there see something in us greater than themselves, something they can aspire to be. Really, that's all a hero is. And despite our failings and our weaknesses, …or maybe even because of them," he released her gently and pointed to the children playing in the distance, "those kids still chose us Joes to be their heroes…."

"We never give up, we're always there, fighting for freedom over land and air…," Scarlet smiled wistfully. "You know Jaye, aspiring to be a Joe is not a bad thing. We, Joes, actually do a lot of good in the world."

"Yes, I know, but…"

Flint lightly touched Jaye's injured arm, "And don't forget…, in spite of everything, that young girl down there chose you, Lady Jaye," he said softly, "She didn't have to."

Jaye looked from Scarlet to Duke and back to Flint. Could those kids really see them as heroes? See her as a hero? She shook her head. She didn't feel anything like a hero and she certainly hadn't been very hero-like in this last encounter with Cobra.

"Jaye, we're not expected to be superheroes," Flint's voice softened as he read the doubt her eyes, "Real heroes are brave, they're authentic, and they're courageous. They're also determined and discreet. Real heroes don't win every time, Lady Jaye, but they never give up trying…. Just like the Joes…., " He paused a moment, searching her eyes and then continued, his voice was deep with emotion, "…and just like you." Flint held her eyes.

A faint colouring crept up his cheek as he finished. Lady Jaye looked at him strangely, studying his eyes. Flint never blushed. An awkward silence passed between them.

She thought about what he said. Could he be right? Could a hero be injured and defeated in battle and still be regarded as a hero? Could she? Flint seemed to think so and that was high praise coming from him even if she still wasn't so sure.

"Thank you," she finally whispered, her own cheeks tinting.

'You're welcome."

He looked down, his eyes holding hers, "Remember, you were already chosen. Just be the Lady Jaye you are," he gave her hand a squeeze, "That's enough."

"Just be myself?"

"Just be the hero that is already you. You don't have to be anything more than who you are today, at this very moment. Don't try to be a super hero. Don't try to be perfect. All that you are, the good and the bad, the messy and the beautiful…just be you," he smiled softly, encouragingly.

She took a deep breath, feeling the air expand her lungs, feeling her own life flowing through her veins. Her eyes took in the green of the trees, the bright blue of the sky. A warm summer breeze caressed her cheek, playfully lifting the hair off her neck. She took it all in, embraced it all. Finally, when she turned back to Flint, her eyes were soft and warm and full of love.

He watched as she stood there beneath the trees, the shadows of leaves dancing upon her cheeks

in the soft breeze. She was shy and awkward, feeling on display with with all the messy emotions and feelings that made up who she was. But to him, she could not have been more beautiful than she was at that moment.

"My hero," he whispered, pulling her into his arms and kissing her deeply.

She responded, kissing him back, her heart rapidly beating in her chest, reminding her just how wonderful those messy emotions could be. Then she nestled against him, pressing her head to his chest, listening to the rhythmic beat of his very real heart, feeling her own slow to match his, beat for beat.

Scarlet took a step closer to Duke. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her, drawing her close. She leaned her head comfortably against his shoulder and sighed.

Lady Jaye thought about what it meant to be herself, to be Lady Jaye, and to be a Joe. Was it enough to make her a hero? She might have been just an ordinary soldier, but she was a Joe soldier. That had to count for something. And for whatever reason, that young girl chose her, Lady Jaye. She still wasn't sure she was a hero but at least to that little girl, she was. Maybe Flint was right. Maybe simply being herself _was_ enough.

For the moment, she could almost believe.

She chewed her bottom lip in thought and slowly turned to her friends.

"I guess the Joes are heroes," she gave a nervous laugh, "even though I'm still not sure why they chose me," she blushed and smiled shyly. "I don't think I make a very good hero."

"None of us do, really, when it comes down to it," Flint laughed softly. Nevertheless, they had all been chosen as heroes.

Behind them, the transports were returning to pick up the remaining Joes.

"Let's go home," Duke said lightly, beginning to make his way back to the makeshift infirmary, back to Doc and Lifeline, back to the rest of the Joes.

A quiet Scarlet and equally thoughtful Snake Eyes followed slowly, a few steps behind.

Flint and Lady Jaye were the last to go.

The children were now taking turns running through the sprinkler. Their exuberant laughter followed the Joes as they walked down the other side of the hill, out of sight. Innocent in their youth, unburdened by the cares of the world, their laughter was light and full of joy. The children had been given the greatest gift of childhood. They were free to be children.

"That makes it all worth it, doesn't it?" Scarlet said softly as the children's laughter echoed faintly around them once more.

"Yes, it certainly does. I guess you could say we did okay," Duke smiled happily.

"That we did," Flint chuckled.

The five Joes suddenly grinned and exchanged glances. As one, they lifted their arms and voices in the familiar battle cry, "Yo Joe!"

The group of children below stopped their play for a moment, staring at one another with wide eyes. One by one, huge smiles erupted on their faces. They had heard the cry.

"YO JOE!" they yelled, their surprised laughter filling the spaces of darkness, filling the hearts of the Joes, chasing away for the moment, the shadows and doubt.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Several scenes have been cut and/or edited from this chapter. I felt it was necessary for continuity and flow._

 _ **My heroes are the ones who survived doing it wrong, who made mistakes, but recovered from them.** _

_-Bono_

* * *

 _In a dark corner of the transport on the way home, Jaye leaned back against Flint's shoulder, a faint smile on her lips. "Tell me again what makes a hero," she asked softly, closing her eyes. The pain meds were making her sleepy._

 _Flint took her good hand and intertwined his fingers with hers, whispering softly into her ear, "All that you are, the good and the bad, the messy and the beautiful…just be you."_

 _She held on to his words and treasured them in her heart._

 _"_ _Remember, no one's perfect, Lady Jaye, not even a hero."_

The Joes arrived back at the Pit the next morning, quiet and thoughtful, each bearing a new kind of resolve in their step, a new determination in their eyes. Duke, Scarlet, Snake Eyes, Lady Jaye and Flint had not shared their experience with anyone else. It was simply too beautiful, too personal, so much so that they hadn't even discussed it with each other. Instead, they just exchanged small private smiles whenever they happened to run across each other. Somehow, for the moment, that was enough.

Hawk had called a late afternoon meeting for the debrief. Duke and Flint sat on opposite sides of the conference table, nearest the General who was seated in his usual place at the head. Their report was honest and forthright without embellishment. Scarlet, Jaye and Snake Eyes, didn't have much more to add.

Hawk simply listened without asking questions. It was obvious that he was not pleased with their report, but neither was he condemning. The old adage remained painfully true, "You can't win them all," and they had certainly not won this round with Cobra.

As the days passed, the five Joes pushed down the self doubts that began to creep in at the edges of their minds. No Joe ever likes to admit defeat, and that goes especially for Joe leaders. Their thoughts drifted back and forth between the heaviness of defeat and the delight of childish play.

Snake Eyes spent extra hours in the gym, dividing his free time between sparring with shadows and meditating calm. Sometimes, as he flawlessly moved through his routines, he would hear the echoing cry of a "Hi Yah," and the sharp crack of wood against a tree. In those moments, a smile would form under his mask, and his steps would suddenly become lighter and more fluid. In those moments, defeat was forgotten.

Lady Jaye had a harder time dealing with the loss than the others, having been witness to the destruction of Cobra firsthand. Memories of the battle would often surface in her mind's eye, visions of homes and schools burning, children crying, the faces of the injured and of the dying. They continued to haunt her, leaving her feeling more than confused, especially when images of a young girl laughing and throwing a stick like a javelin would also make an appearance. She couldn't seem to find herself between the scars of battle and the child calling herself Lady Jaye. How could both be her?

The only way she could reconcile the two, she decided, was to ensure that she was at her very best the next time she met with Cobra. A second defeat would not be acceptable. She was determined to do whatever was necessary, even if it meant waking up earlier, training harder, working faster, and going to bed later.

Her plans were temporarily postponed, however, because of her injury. To her chagrin, Doc had taken her off active duty until her arm was completely healed. She was, to say the least, a terrible patient. But, once the sling was off, she made up for lost time with a vengeance.

* * *

Scarlet hit the snooze and stumbled out of bed, bleary eyed. She made her way slowly through their shared living space.

"Jaye," she gave a start, blinking rapidly in the effort to focus, "What are you doing already up?"

Lady Jaye was dressed in loose black shorts and a gray army T-shirt. Rivulets of sweat were dripping into her eyes and down her neck. Scarlet stared in confusion as Jaye grabbed a towel and rubbed her face and neck dry.

She wrinkled her forehead and frowned, "I didn't miss PT, did I?"

"No. Just… running," Jaye gave a shrug. She tossed the damp towel next to an empty water bottle and reached down to begin stretching her legs.

Scarlet's mouth cracked open into a yawn and she groaned. There were times when she was not a morning person and this was definitely one of them. If she had her choice, she would still be in bed, buried under her blankets, asleep. Too bad she had drawn early watch duty.

Jaye stopped in a half stretch and looked up cheekily, "Oh, and by the way, good morning."

Scarlet shot her a sleepy glare. She was still only half awake and Lady Jaye was far too bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for her.

"Says who?," she grumbled.

Lady Jaye smiled impishly, "Says me."

"It's…" Scarlet squinted her eyes to read the clock, "0435? Jaye," she asked in surprise, "Do you realise what time it is?"

"Yes, I just wanted to get an early start…"

"Early is right. I heard you when you went to bed. Did you sleep at all?"

"I got enough."

Scarlet just looked at her as if she didn't quite believe. "Whatever," she shook her head, "I'm gonna make some coffee. Want some?"

"Sure," Jaye responded quickly, "Love some." She slowly pulled out of her last stretch and swept the sweat soaked hair out of her eyes. "I'm just gonna hop in the shower first."

"Go right ahead," Scarlet's face split into another huge yawn, "I need to wake up some more."

The sun rose steadily, the sky changing from dark blue to purple then to rapidly lightening shades of pink. The light breeze promised a cooler day. Everywhere the sun touched the Pit, it began springing to life. The busy activities and sounds of morning soon replaced the quieter stirrings of the night.

After breakfast, Jaye and Scarlet headed directly for the women's locker at the gym. Both had hand to hand that morning, Scarlet and Snake Eyes working with the Green Shirts, Jaye training with Beach Head. Neither spoke as they changed out of their BDU's and into their work out clothes.

"Well," Scarlet said finally, standing up and rolling her shoulders, "I guess I'm ready." She placed her neatly folded uniform in her locker and shut the metal door with a click. Turning to Jaye, she gave her a wicked smile, "Have fun with Beach, today."

"I plan to," Jaye winked, slamming her own locker door shut. They both grabbed bottles of water and towels as Jaye followed Scarlet out of women's locker and into the training room, then they separated to their different areas.

Jaye stepped on to the mat where Beach Head was already waiting. He nodded to her then readied himself, watching carefully as she did the same. Immediately Beach rushed in, driving her back. She ducked and struck out blindly, only to be blocked, causing her to lose her balance. Before she could regain her footing, Beach Head swung hard. Jaye took a direct hit to her cheek. She fell back, hitting the mat hard. Breath coming in pants, glaring at him, she rubbed the rapidly purpling bruise.

"What's wrong with you?" His dark gaze bore down on her, "You should have got yer block up in time."

"Sorry, Beach," she said rising slowly to her feet, mentally chastising herself, "Let's go again." She instantly crouched into her ready stance.

Beach Head grunted in response, lowering for another attack.

They sparred a while longer, Jaye taking a few more hits but getting up more blocks, as well as connecting with a few well placed hits of her own. Finally, Beach stood up and called it quits. He looked her up and down with a practiced eye. She was breathing hard, her face red from exertion except for the bruised cheek, which had already deepened to a darker shade of purple. But, he also recognised the usual defiance glinting in her eyes. He nodded in satisfaction. "Better. Yer still slower than usual, though."

As she was preparing to hit the showers, Scarlet came up beside her and spoke softly into her ear, "Jaye, I saw that hit you took from Beach. That's not like you at all. Are you okay?," she asked in concern.

"Just fine, Scarlet," she said quickly, brushing past her.

Scarlet silently watched her go. She had learned long ago that Jaye could be intensely private. She also knew, without a doubt, that something was bothering her best friend and she had a pretty good idea what it was. She sighed deeply as Lady Jaye disappeared into the women's locker room.

Scarlet had had her own self doubts. But now, whenever she tossed her pony tail over her shoulder, she could smile confidently; it wasn't red hair that she was seeing, but blond.

* * *

"Lady Jaye, you in there?" Flint called, knocking softly and then poking his head into the small office she shared with Scarlet. He smiled when he saw her alone, at her desk, poring over the latest Intel reports.

"Jaye?" he called again, louder.

She gave a small jump and looked up, "Flint!," then relaxed into a warm smile, "Sorry, I didn't hear you."

"I know," he grinned, "Haven't seen you since yester…Hey, what happened to your face?," He stepped through the door and quickly rounded her desk.

"Hand to hand with Beach Head this morning," she made a grimace and then winced slightly.

"At least tell me you gave him as good as you got," he said, gently touching her bruise.

"Not this time," she sighed.

He studied her carefully and frowned, "You okay?"

She cringed inwardly. Why did everyone have to keep asking her that? "I'm fine…,"

"Jaye…..," he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, maybe just a little tired," she admitted quickly. "You ready for supper?"

"You bet, I'm starving," he broke into a wolfish grin.

"That makes two of us," she grinned back. She took hold of his hand and groaned in exaggeration aa he pulled her to her feet, "Oh…, I think I've been sitting too long…,"

Flint smirked, and offered his arm. "Shall we?"

"Thanks," she laughed, leaning into him lightly.

* * *

Scarlet and Duke sat side by side, heads bent together, deep in conversation. "You know, Duke, I think we all need to confront Cobra again…"

Duke's blue eyes grew dark, "I know. I personally can't wait to shake off this defeat. I mean, is it me, or do people actually stare at me in sympathy when I walk by?"

"Definitely you, Duke," she laughed gently, placing her hand on his, "Everyone here respects you. One bad battle can't change that."

"I know. And you're right, Scarlet," he sighed, "I guess it's just my imagination working overtime."

"Hey guys," Jaye and Flint placed their food trays down on the table in front of them and slid into the seats on the other side.

"Hi, yourselves," Scarlet looked up and her eyes widened. "How's the cheek, Jaye?," she asked gently. She was impressed by how dark it had become.

"Fine."

"What happened?" Duke turned to Jaye sharply, his voice raised.

"Beach Head happened," she said glumly, picking at her food. She suddenly didn't have much of an appetite.

"Oh….," he went back to his meal.

Flint took a huge bite of his fried chicken. He wasn't kidding when he told Jaye he was hungry. "So, what were you two talking about when we showed up?," he asked after he had swallowed.

Duke sighed wearily, "Just how glad we'll all be when we can fight Cobra again."

"I think that's something we can all agree on," Flint said flatly. "Have you Intel come up with anything?" he directed his question toward the women before taking another bite.

Scarlet glanced at Jaye. "Nothing yet, but we're following up on a few possible leads."

Duke nodded encouragingly as he stabbed his fork into a tomato wedge, "Well, Cobra will show up sooner or later. They always do."

"That they do," Flint said, chewing thoughtfully.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: This story has turned out to be quite a challenge to write. I knew where I wanted to go, I just had trouble getting there…I finally had to just roll up my sleeves and wrestle it to the ground. As I continued with the third and fourth chapters to the end, it wasn't all fitting together cohesively so I had to go back and make changes to the first and second chapters. (Only minor changes have been made to the first, more significant changes to the second.) I also cleaned up some of the dialogue as I went along. If you are coming in and reading from here, you might want to go back and reread the first and second again, just to get a right sense of the flow._

 _Again…sorry…sorry…I hope you enjoy it._

 _Thanks for taking the time to read and review. As always, I appreciate it._

* * *

 _ **Hard times don't create heroes. It is during the hard times when the 'hero' within us is revealed**. _

_-Bob Riley_

 _ **To be a hero, "You must do things you think you cannot do."** _

_\- Eleanor Roosevelt_

* * *

Scarlet and Jaye walked straight to the General's office. They rapped smartly and then stood twitching with impatience, Scarlet's hand resting lightly on the door knob waiting for the familiar, "Enter."

When it came, they rushed in together, talking at once, "We've found them…It's Cobra…"

"We know where they are…"

"They're planning to…"

"Whoa, easy now. One at a time," he held up his hands, looking from one to the other in bewilderment.

Scarlet looked quickly to Jaye, who nodded, before beginning once again, "We've found Cobra, Hawk."

He let out a long, slow breath. "Good work, you two," he drew his eyebrows together, "Call in Duke and Flint. It's time we made some plans,"

"Yes sir," their voices mingled. _Finally. They were about to turn the tables on Cobra._

"YO JOE!," Lady Jaye cried loudly as she exited his office.

The General winced and rubbed his ringing ears. _I really wish they'd wait until they were out of my office before doing that._

* * *

The only sound along the jump run was the steady hum of the plane's engines and the soft murmuring of voices between teammates. Once they jumped, however, everyone was under orders to maintain complete silence.

The transports arrived at their destination well after dark and the Joes began jumping as soon as they reached the drop zone. The plan was to parachute under the cover of darkness into the area occupied by Cobra in hopes of taking them unawares.

Lady Jaye and Flint were the last two to jump. Lady Jaye stood by the door of the transport looking out into the blackness, and froze. The worm of doubt that had crept into her heart had raised it's ugly head once more.

"Flint, what if I can't do this? What if I end up failing _these_ people, too?," she was trembling slightly as she held onto the sides of the plane, the wind whipping her hair in all directions. _All her hard work, the training, the hours practicing, would it be enough? Would she be enough? Or would Cobra get the better of her…again?_

"Jaye, you _can_ do this. You won't fail them. I know. Remember? Just… be… you," Flint encouraged.

Lady Jaye took a deep breath and the image of little girl holding a stick like a javelin appeared in her mind's eye. She drew strength from it.

"Just be myself," she gritted her teeth and jumped. _I hope it's enough._

Flint was out the door right behind her.

They gently floated through the darkness, catching occasional glimpses of the other silent shadows falling below them.

The last ones down, they skimmed the surface of the turf then landed with a soft bump. Immediately they began untangling themselves from the harness and ropes. Other Joes were already stashing their parachutes out of sight. They gathered silently and began readying their weapons. Flint and Lady Jaye soon joined them. Jaye had just finished tightening the strap of her javelin case as Flint took command.

"Let's go!," he whispered, "Fall out!," he motioned with his arm as he took the lead. The Joes followed with soft footsteps. They threaded their way by the light of the stars. All were looking forward to a chance at redemption. All were ready. They didn't have to go far before they came upon the unsuspecting Cobra.

"Yoooo Joe!" They yelled, quickly using the advantage of surprise as they rushed forward eagerly.

"Cobraaa…."

Cobra regrouped quickly and bullets were soon whizzing through the air in both directions. With Cobra's numbers greater than they had anticipated, Flint made the call for back up. Within minutes, Ace arrived by air, leading a squadron of SkyStrikers. They provided the support the ground troops needed to stop Cobra's advance.

Major Bludd gave orders for the several Cobra Rattlers already airborne to engage with the incoming Joes. Piloting his own Rattler, he fixed his sights on Ace's SkyStriker and quickly fired a missile. Ace's radar picked up the bogey, warning him of the missile's approach. At the last moment, he hit the thrusters and climbed straight up, leaving the missile to pass harmlessly underneath. Then he tightened his grip on the stick and pulled a tight three-sixty, coming into position just behind Bludd. Ace immediately locked onto his target and fired a sidewinder. The right wing caught fire as the missile hit.

"Yo Joe!," he cried triumphantly.

Major Bludd ejected and the damaged jet began to spin slowly out of control. A long plume of flames and thick smoke trailed it as it fell.

"Joes…Cobra jet coming down," Ace yelled into the headset as he watched it spin and drift toward a residential area. The Joe ground troops watched in despair as it crashed into the side of a small home, setting it ablaze. Almost immediately, they could hear the screams and cries for help coming from within.

Scarlet and Lady Jaye, who had been part of the ground team leading the battle away from the residential area, looked at one another and nodded.

"Come on!" Scarlet yelled, quickly dropping her weapon.

"Right behind you!" Jaye twisted out of her javelin case and dropped it beside Scarlet's crossbow.

Together, they rushed into the burning home. The Joes around them continued pushing back the Cobra ground troops, driving them away from the town and into a corner.

Staying low and peering through the smoke, the Joe women found the children's and parent's bedrooms quickly and then helped lead them all to safety.

Once outside, they fell to their knees, taking deep breaths of clean, cool air.

"Wait!," the woman screamed looking around wildly, "Marissa! My baby!"

Scarlet and Lady Jaye quickly exchanged a glance. Jaye passed the children she was helping to Scarlet. Covering her nose with her arm, she rushed back into the burning home. Scarlet wrapped an arm around the woman to lead the family further from the fire, but not before casting a worried glance over her shoulder toward the flames where Jaye had already disappeared.

The flames inside the house had grown. The south wall where the jet had hit was completely engulfed.

"Marissa…, MARISSA….," Lady Jaye called the child's name as she moved slowly toward the back of the home.

"MARISSA!," The smoke thickened and she began choking and coughing. She ducked lower, under the cloud, but she could still hardly draw a breath. For the first time, she wondered if she would make it out again and a little knot of fear formed in her stomach. Gritting her teeth, she continued crawling forward on her hands and knees.

"MARISSA!," she called loudly. The heat inside had become so great that the exposed areas of her skin were burning. She fought the urge to escape, pushing down the fatigue, the fear, the pain.

"WHERE ARE YOU?," she cried in desperation.

To the right, she heard a frightened small voice, "I here.…I here…"

Lady Jaye rose to her feet. Crouching low, she hesitated just a moment before running past a wall of fire, wincing as the heat licked her already tender skin. She found the little girl huddled under the kitchen table. Pulling the child quickly into her arms she retraced her steps, doing her best to protect the girl's small body from the hungrily reaching flames.

"Mama…," the little girl was crying, clinging tightly to Lady Jaye.

'It's okay, Honey," Jaye said hoarsely as they hurried along. "I'm going to get you out of here."

She knew she should be nearing the front door but the smoke was thick and black. As her eyes darted around the room, she gave a small sigh of relief. A few meters ahead, she could just barely make out the edge of the open door. She hurried forward, closing her eyes as she stumbled through another wall of thick smoke and flames…and then she was out once again under the cool stars of the night. The waiting Joes rushed forward, cheering.

Lady Jaye could hardly believe she had made it out alive. Standing there, holding the small child tightly to her chest, she suddenly felt like sobbing.

Lifeline came and gently pried the crying child from her arms.

A Green Shirt medic followed immediately and put his arm around Lady Jaye. He led her slowly to Doc. She stumbled, barely able to put one foot in front of the other.

Doc took one look at her and shook his head. "Sit!" he barked.

She half fell, half sat at the base of a tree, then drew her knees up to her chest, gasping for breath.

Doc was on his knees beside her, pressing an oxygen mask to her face. "Now, breathe," he said more gently.

"No…, wait…" She gasped, tugging and pulling at the mask. "The little girl…Is she okay?" She was twisting around, trying to see the child as Lifeline and the Green Shirt medics treated her and her family.

Doc gripped her chin, turning her head firmly so that she had to meet his dark eyes. "I'm sure she'll be fine…now sit still and let me take care of you."

Lady Jaye nodded and stilled. Her chest and throat were burning. She leaned back into the firmness of the tree, wincing slightly. Her other injuries were starting to catch up with her.

Doc placed the mask gently over her nose and mouth again. She took a deep breath of pure oxygen and began choking almost immediately. A round of violent coughing followed. Doc peered at her through his glasses.

"Just try to relax," his deep voice rumbled soothingly, "Take deep, even breaths."

She did as he told and began to feel the burning and tightness of her lungs ease. As it did, the knot of fear in her stomach lessened. She looked up at him gratefully.

He smiled and then pulled on a pair of rubber gloves, "Sorry, Jaye. I'm afraid this part is going to hurt," he said apologetically.

She whimpered softly as he began treating the burns on arms and hands.

"You did good out there, Jaye," Doc spoke soothingly as he gently cleaned and bandaged her wounds, "You saved that little girl's life." He looked at her and smiled.

She stared back at him, eyes widening as she slowly took in the meaning of his words. Then she heard Flint's voice in her mind, encouraging her once again, "You can do it. I know. You won't fail them."

And she hadn't.

 _"_ _Flint…,"_ her heart suddenly called out to him _._

And then he was there, squatting down beside her.

"Jaye?," his eyes swept quickly over her in concern, at the white dressings Doc was placing over her, at her red and painful looking hands and arms.

"Flint…" she smiled through the breathing mask and reached out, "You're here." Her blistered fingertips lightly brushed his hand.

He smiled and stroked her cheek, then suddenly flinched as he inhaled the smell of burnt hair.

"What is it?" she froze, a new fear forming, "What's wrong?"

He trembled as he reached out and fingered a lock shorter than the rest, "Your hair got singed." A cold fear passed through him.

It was bad enough that her arms and hands had been burned. Now, inhaling the strong odour of singed hair, they both knew it could have been so much worse.

"It'll grow back," she gave a weak smile.

"I know…,"

Suddenly she stiffened. Her whole body was hurting, the pain from her burns growing steadily worse. She closed her eyes and moaned softly, "Flint…I… don't feel so good."

"Lady Jaye…," he glanced worriedly toward Doc who was already signalling the Green Shirts. His eyes were filling with anxious tears, but there were also proud tears. When he spoke again it was low, so low that only she could hear, "Jaye, You didn't fail them. You did it…. I knew you could."

She squeezed her eyes tightly as his words washed over her.

Watching the shadows fall from her face, Flint lay a hand on her knee and gently uncovered the deepest insecurity of her heart, her greatest self doubt, "Just like a hero."

A sob burst from her chest.

Doc motioned for the arriving Green Shirts to bring the stretcher.


	4. Chapter 4

**_How important it is for us to recognise and celebrate our heroes and sheroes._**

 _\- Maya Angelo_

 _ **The best thing I did was to choose the right heroes.** _

_\- Warren Buffett_

* * *

"Looks like we finally put the brakes on Cobra," Hawk began, "according to the last Intel, Cobra has gone bankrupt. This latest failed venture has wiped them out, financially at least."

"That _is_ good news for a change," Duke grinned.

"Hey, maybe now we can actually get some R&R," Scarlet laughed softly.

"Not so fast," Hawk stopped her.

"Oh?," her smile faded.

"I'm sending you five back."

"What? Why?"

"They've specifically requested the help of GI Joe," he began, "Besides keeping out unwanted visitors, you'll be helping to organise initial clean up and repair of the town. This is only temporary," he said quickly as their faces fell. "The National Guard will take over later in the week."

"Alright, Hawk," they agreed wearily.

"And Lady Jaye…"

She turned around slowly, "Yes, Sir?"

"Light duty only," he looked pointedly at the bandages covering her arms and hands still healing from the injuries acquired earlier. He still wasn't sure how she had talked him into this one.

"Yes, Sir, and thank you for giving me permission to go, Sir," she grinned brightly.

"You're welcome…Now, get out of my office…, all of you," he said gruffly, "Your transport will be ready this afternoon."

"Yes Hawk," they hurried out of his office.

"You used "the look" on him, didn't you?" Scarlet whispered accusingly as soon as they had shut the door behind them.

"Maybe," she flushed pink.

"Jaye…,"

"Well, it worked didn't it? He wouldn't have let me go otherwise…"

Scarlet nodded slowly in acquiescence and pressed her lips together tightly. She couldn't say a thing against Jaye. She'd been known to do the same thing.

They boarded the Tomahawk that afternoon and returned to the damaged town.

As they entered the broken streets, they saw a large group of children playing among the heavily damaged buildings and rubble. The children stopped, their eyes growing wider as they recognised them.

"It's GI Joe," they began whispering excitedly to one another and pointing.

"Wow…that's Duke," one said.

"And Scarlet and Snake Eyes…and…"

"Hi there," Duke smiled, going down on his knee to their eye level.

Curiosity getting the better of them, they approached the Joes slowly. One of the bigger boys stepped out from the rest. "We know who you are…" he said with an air of confidence, "You're GI Joe."

The little girls who had gravitated near Lady Jaye and Scarlet looked up with wide eyes. "And we know who you are," they spoke softly in awe.

Scarlet and Jaye shifted their feet, slightly uncomfortable.

"You're Scarlet and Lady Jaye, right?"

"Yes, we are," Scarlet admitted.

The girls continued to stared at them.

"What happened to your arms?," a tall, dark haired girl finally asked, pointing at Lady Jaye's white bandages.

"Well, I was in a fire…" Jaye began softly.

"She saved a little girl," Scarlet smiled proudly.

"Oh….." The girls suddenly crowded in, all talking at once. It wasn't long they were all talking and giggling. Scarlet and Jaye made themselves more comfortable, sitting cross legged on the ground. The smallest girl boldly climbed into the lap of Lady Jaye and looked up at her with big brown eyes. Jaye reached down hesitantly and then brushed a small chestnut curl out of the child's eyes. She was met with a sweet smile. Jaye instantly returned the smile and pulled the child closer, cuddling her. As the child giggled, more girls scooted closer, boldly reaching out to touch her leg, her shoulder, her hair.

Snake Eyes stood to the side, motionless, like a tall, black shadow. The bigger boys found themselves drawn to him half in fear, half in awe.

"Is that a real sword," one asked nervously, pointing to the hilt seen just above Snake Eyes' shoulder.

Snake Eyes nodded.

"Wow…,"

Snake Eyes reached back and slowly drew the katana free. It glinted as the sun caught the sharp edge of the blade. Holding the hilt with one hand, he lay the edge flat against the gloved palm of his other. The boys pushed forward, eager to get a closer look. Snake Eyes was soon rewarded with "cool" and "awesome" as they gazed enviously at his sword. After several minutes, to the disappointment of the boys, he carefully slid the katana back into its sheath. The boys slowly started turn away.

"Wait," he motioned, holding up one hand, palm flat. They boys grew silent as Snake Eyes reached into a hidden pocket on his thigh and produced a wicked looking pair of four pointed shurikens.

"Wow…" the boys edged closer once again.

Snake Eyes looked around with a smirk. The group had grown. Good thing he had a lot of hidden pockets, he laughed silently.

The Joes worked hard, helping with the clean up and repairs. All around the town rose the sounds of busy hammers and saws. The fresh smells of newly cut wood and paint drifted everywhere. Buildings were being repaired, others rising up from the rubble. The sounds echoed back and forth as the town came back to life.

From the distance, the voices of children carried over to where the Joes were busy at work. Their lively play was in stark contrast to the devastation all around. The Joes smiled as they made out their words.

"I've got my katana. You don't stand a chance against me, snake." A thick, muscular boy swung a stick like a sword. It whistled through the air.

"And I've got my Shurikens so you'd better watch out Cobra," another boy held up a handful of flat gray stones. With a flick of the wrist, he threw one. "Ha!, Take that, Snakes!" he yelled as it rocketed off a fence post.

"You're history," a third boy's voice rose strong and clear. He stood on the top of a pile of rubble, hands on his hips. "Cobra doesn't stand a chance."

"We're Joes and Joes always win," A tall girl emerged from behind another, pride in her voice and carriage.

"Yo Joe!," they yelled together. "Let's go stomp some snakes!"

"YAHHHHHHHHHH…" As one, they charged their invisible foes.

By the end of the week, the National Guard arrived with fresh hands and supplies and took over for the Joes. Their transport back to the Pit had also arrived and was already waiting. With mixed feelings, the Joes repacked their belongings and then headed toward the pad where the Tomahawk waited.

As they were leaving, the children gathered on the surrounding hills. They began jumping up and down, waving their arms wildly and yelling.

"Good bye, Duke…, Good Bye, Snake Eyes…,Goodbye, Scarlet…, Good bye, Flint…, Good Bye, Lady Jaye…GOOD BYE! …THANK YOU!"

The Joes looked back and waved. "YO JOE!" they gave a final cry.

The distance between them grew and the children were soon out of sight. They continued the last stretch of their walk in silence, contented smiles on all of their faces. The children's good bye's were fresh in their memories as Lady Jaye reached over and slipped her hand into Flint's.

"You know…, it's not so bad," she spoke softly.

"What?"

She blushed and smiled, kicking at a loose stone, "…being a hero."

Flint stopped and turned to her suddenly, laughing out loud.

The Joes crowded around her laughing and slapping her on the shoulder. Snake Eyes' shoulders were shaking with silent laughter. He gave her a two thumbs up.

"It's about time you figured that out," Duke teased.

'So, I'm a slow learner," she smirked, "At least I learn."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny, LJ." It was common knowledge among the Joes that Duke was both extremely stubborn and fond of doing things his own way.

Flint just laughed at him as he wrapped an arm around Lady Jaye's narrow waist, giving her an affectionate squeeze. "No, Lady Jaye, it's not so bad at all."

Lady Jaye smiled. For the first time in a long time, she felt happy, very happy. The worm of doubt that taken root so many weeks ago was finally gone, replaced once again by bright confidence and a light heart. As she glanced at Flint still teasing a disgruntled Duke, she smiled. All in her world was as it should be.

Around them, the wind picked up, carrying with it a cooler breeze. To Lady Jaye, it was a cleansing breeze, washing away the heaviness of recent battles, sweeping out the darkest corners of her heart. She had come to an understanding and sense of acceptance that even in defeat, the Joes did not fail; quitters failed, and Joes were Joes simply because they never gave up. She glanced around and her heart swelled with pride. All that they were, the good and the bad, the messy and the beautiful, they were all Joes to the core…heroes, forever and always.

 _And beauty shall rise from the ashes._

Just before boarding the transport for their ride back home, Lady Jaye stopped suddenly and pointed. "Oh, look…," her voice was soft and full of wonder. A small white daisy had poked a sunny face out of the rubble.

Flint laced his fingers through hers, "Simply beautiful," he murmured softly. She didn't realise he wasn't talking about the flower.

* * *

In another town, in another country, a different group of children were playing.

"Lady Jaye, be careful…" she pressed her hands together in nervousness.

"I will…got to save that poor, helpless little girl…," Lady Jaye sighed dramatically.

"Then, I'll help you," Scarlet giggled suddenly, ruining the performance.

"Okay. She's over there," Lady Jaye said in her normal voice. She pointed toward a triangle of trees. "Let's go."

Lady Jaye and Scarlet ran between the trees where a smaller girl was waiting for them.

"What took you so long," she grumbled as she stood up, brushing off the pine needles sticking to her pants.

"Sorry," Lady Jaye dropped to her knees to help her. Then, each taking a hand, they led the little girl back to the rest of the waiting children who surrounded them, cheering.

"You did it! You rescued her from the fire, Lady Jaye!"

"No. We did it." She turned to her friend and and gave her a high five, "Scarlet and I, together."

Scarlet grinned, "That's right! Together!"

"Now let's go stomp some snakes…Grrrrrr," a boy swung his sword stick through the air and growled.

"Yeah! Let's go!," more boys yelled enthusiastically.

"Alright. Come on!"

Yo Joe!," The children's voices shrilled happily.

* * *

Scarlet, Duke, Flint, Snake Eyes and Lady Jaye boarded the Tomahawk returned to the Pit. Day after day, they continued the fight against Cobra, never giving up. Sometimes they lost a battle, but mostly they won. Whatever the outcome, they had confidence in being themselves, in being Joes.

They had all learned that it was enough. Being simply who they were, they became the heroes of many childhoods.


End file.
